Oil-well pump



J. C. VROMAN OIL WELL PUMP Filed May 13, 1927 June 19, 1928.

1' C Vrom an Patented .lune 19, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN C. VROMAN, OF CHELSEA, OKLAHOMA. ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T JOHN R. KETCHUM, OF CHELSEA, OKLAHOMA.

OIL-WELL PUMP.

Application filed May 13,

This invention relates to means for packing oil well pumps whereby return fiow of the oil through the working barrel to the well will be prevented. and the object of the invention is to provide a` packing and a structure of pump element-s whereby the packing may be fed to the working barrel while the pump is asembled therein and subsequently compressed by the action of the pump. This object is attained by such a mechanism as is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and the invention resides in certain novel features which will be hereinafter first fully described and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

1n the drawing:

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of an oil well pump and working barrel with the packing disposed therein;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section on the line 2%2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a similar view on the line of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 1 is a section on the line WW1 of Fig. 3.

The working barrel 1 is of the usual construction and has a standing valve 2 of standard `type secured in the lower end thereof. The pump comprises a cage 3 at the lower end of a tube 4 and packing cups 5 arranged around the said tube above the cage to tit closely in the barrel and prevent return llow. Secured upon the tube l above the packing cups 5 is a collar (i and above the said collar a second collar or abutment T is mounted upon the tube so as to be frictionally held thereon but capable ot' slight relative movement under pressure. and a spring 8 is coiled around the tube between the collar 6 and the collar or abutment T to yieldably hold the latter collar in an upper position. 'l'he upper end of the tube l lu rigidly secured therein a short tube or nipA ple 9 which enters the lower end of an np per tube 10 and is formed with an external annular flange 11 at its upper extremity slidably engaging the inner wall of the tubular member 1() so thatthere may be relative movement between the pump sections, the lower extremity of the tube 10 heilig provided with an internal annular shoulder 12 eoacting with the flange 11 to limit this relative lost-motion, and formed on or rigidly secured upon the lower end of the pumping tube 10 is an annular shoulder 13 1927. Serial No. 191,197.

which has a diameter slightly less than the internal diameter of the working barrel so that it may move freely in the barrel and is also provided in its peripheral surface with vertically extending grooves 14, it being noted, more particularly upon reference to Fig. 1-, that the lower extremity of the pump section 10 is adapted to abut the upper edge of the pump tube 4. At or near the upper end of the pumping section 10, a head 15 and a valve cage 1G are secured thereon, the usual ball valve being mounted in the cage to permit upward flow of the oil but prevent backward flow thereof, and the usual sucker rod 1S is secured in the upper end of the cage. Outlet openings 1!) are formed in 'the valve cage lt to permit the egress of the oil and in the peripheral surface of the valve cage and the head 15 are alined vertical grooves 20, as shown. At the upper end of the working barrel is the usual casing head 21 having an opening 22 in one side.

The action of the pump in lifting oil from the well is the same as the usual pumps7 the oil being caused to ilovv through the standing valve 2 on the upstroke of the pump and beingr prevented from flowing through the standing valve on the down-stroke of the pump. Eventually the oil reaches the upper valve cage 16 and then upon the down-L troke of the pump it will flow through the cage to collect in they barrel, being lifted from the barrel to the outlet 22 on the ensuingr upstroke. Of course, when the oil issues through the outlets 1S) of the upper valve cage, it will tend to collect, within the barrel and flow downwardly around the pump tubes. To counteract this tendency. packing 23 provided around the upper portion o t' the tube -1 above the abutment 'i' and resting on said abutment. According to my in volition. this parking is in the forni of small globular pellets of a suieiently small diameter to readily pass through the grooves and 14 and come to rest upon the upper end of the abutment T. The pellets are inserted in the working barrel through the outlet 22 or some other opening provided for the purpose at a convenient point in the barrel head 21 so that the packing may be supplied without stopping the operation of the pump. The lost-motion provided by the members 9. 11 and 12 permits a slight downward movement of the upper pump tube which will not impart movement to the lower tube 4, and this independent movement of the upper pump tube section 10 will cause the lower end ot the flange or collar 14 to strike forcibly upon the packing 23 and compress the same against the upper end of the abutment 7. The packing is composed of material which will lend itself readily to Compression under the stated conditions, and I lave found a composition of lead and rubber to be advantageous. Vhen a slackening in the flow of oil at the barrel head indicates that the packing has become worn so as to be inellicient, an additional supply of the packing is inserted through the barrel head and will gravitate through the grooves 2O and 14 to the upper end of the abutme t 7 or to the packing which may remain supported by the same. Then upon the initial down-stroke of the pump, this packing will be compressed while upon the up-stroke the section 10 will bring its shoulder 12 into engagement with the shoulder 11 so that the lower tube 4 Vwill rise with the tube 10 and the two tubes together will perform the usual functions of a pump plunger to cause a lovv of oil through the standing' valve and into the tube 4.

It will be noted that I have provided a .structure which may be easilj,v incorporated in existing pumps and by the use of which the packing may be renewed without drawing the plunger from the well and stopping operations. The spring S will cushion the impact. of the plunger section 10 upon the Lez/'4,146

section 4 to that while the packing will be compressed breakage of the Working parts will be avoided.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. An oil well pump comprising a sectional plunger, the upper plunger .section having an internal annular flange at its lower-end and the lower plunger section having its upper end tilted within the upper section and provided with an external lange cooperatw ing with the internal shoulder of the upper section, an abutment on the lower section, packing supported by the abutment, and a collar on the lower end of the upper section adapted to impinge upon the packing to compress the same against the abutment and provided with passages giving access of the packing to the abutment.

2. An oil well pump comprising a sectional tubular plunger having a lost-motion connection between the. sections, a head at the upper end ot' the upper section, a valve cage carried by the said section above said head, a collar on the lower end ot' tht` upper section. the valve cage, the head and the collar being provided with vertically extending grooves in their peripheral surfaces, and an abutment on the lower plunger .section adjacent the upper end thereof to receive packing passing through the grooves in the said collar, head and valve cage.

In testimony whereof I afx in v signature.

JOHN o. vRoMAN. [1.. s] 

